Review: Alan Palomo – World of Hassle

 World of Hassle takes a half-step away from the sounds that made Palomo famous with Neon Indian, cautiously exploring an all-new style.

 

Alan Paolomo’s musical project Neon Indian was one of the biggest acts in the ridiculously-named subgenre of chillwave, which peaked during the shift from the 2000s to the 2010s and slowly petered out in the years after.  From 2009 to 2015, he released three albums brimming with hazy synthesizers and distorted samples. The last of these three, VEGA INTL. Night School, had a more refined sound that was oriented in funk and house music, but Neon Indian always seemed tied to the term “chillwave” and those halcyon days of 13ish years ago.

Now, partially in an attempt to turn over a new leaf, Palomo has released World of Hassle, the first album released under his actual name. When discussing this choice, he cited the “tried and true 80s male rock cliche to leave your band in your mid 30s to make a ‘solo’ album.”

So, since Alan Palomo is entering a new era, then his music on World of Hassle must be as well, right?

Yes and no. World of Hassle takes a half-step away from the sounds that made Palomo famous with Neon Indian, cautiously exploring an all-new style. I’m also using “half-step” more literally here, since the album can be divided into two halves: the danceable, funky first half and the chilled out second half.

This first half of World of Hassle is somewhat similar to what you’d expect from Neon Indian – not the psychedelic and lo-fi Neon Indian of their debut Psychic Chasms, but the one most recently heard on VEGA INTL. Night School. Like this album, World of Hassle wears its 80s influences on its sleeve, from its overall gaudy aesthetic to the Giorgio Moroder-inspired synthesizer lines. Given this similar pastiche, you can hear snippets of VEGA tracks like “Dear Skorpio Magazine” in the funk-infused guitar of “The Wailing Mall,” and “Slumlord’s Re-Lease” in the bongos of “Stay-at-Home-DJ.” Both albums are also quite vocals-forward, relative to the first two Neon Indian releases, and Palomo’s falsetto on “The Return of Micky Milan” and “Club People” echoes the one performed for “The Glitzy Hive” and “News from the Sun” eight years ago.

That said, there are still plenty of new touches within this half that separate World of Hassle from Neon Indian. The most prominent of these is the saxophone that weaves throughout several tracks on the album, intertwining with the synthesizer melodies and often stealing the show. It adds a jazzy flair whenever it appears, albeit a flair that’s closer to 70s/80s soft rock than the classic jazz stalwarts.

World of Hassle is also Palomo’s first release to include guest vocalists. The single “Nudista Mundial ’89” brings indie singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco aboard for a song vaguely about a nude beach in Ibiza, and DeMarco really embraces the skeezball persona he’s been given for the track. It’s an incredibly corny affair (DeMarco throws in “hasta la pasta” at one point), but good luck getting its chorus of “toda la noche, sueño electropical!” out of your head. The second track “Meutrière” features singer Flore Benguigui of Parisian pop group L’Impératrice, and she and Palomo trade off English and French lyrics over a funky house beat. I may have no idea what Benguigui is singing, but the song’s propelling bassline and sax solos have quickly made it one of my favorite tracks of 2023.

Just as you’re settling into World of Hassle’s groove, the downtempo instrumental “Alibi for Petra” cools things down, welcoming you to the album’s second half. Palomo has made some slower tracks before, most notably “Baby’s Eyes” on VEGA INTL. Night School, but this part of the album is much more of a lounge affair than just slower-tempo synthpop. Horns carry the sultry “Nobody’s Woman,” while the even sultrier “The Island Years” has enough flute and random moaning that it could be mistaken for something from an adult film soundtrack and/or Destroyer’s 2011 album Kaputt. Admittedly, this latter half of the album isn’t as immediately compelling as its livelier predecessor, but there are some rewards for closer listening. “Big Night of Heartache” has the instrumentation of an 80s new wave ballad, but its lyrics about a dinnertime breakup are unexpectedly funny, with lines like “If I start to cry, disregard it, it’s just the spice.” If you couldn’t tell from the pun-filled fake headlines on the album art, Palomo is a generally lighthearted guy, and this regularly makes itself known on World of Hassle.

The only people who might be totally disappointed in World of Hassle are those who hoped for a return to Neon Indian’s earlier chillwave sound. The first half of the album is a logical enough progression from VEGA INTL. Night School that existing Neon Indian fans should love it, and its singles have the potential to make new listeners see what this Alan Palomo guy is all about. The album’s milder and jazzier second half proves more divisive, and it does make me wonder if Palomo will embrace this style more in the future. After all, most artists evolve over time, and even Palomo’s former chillwave compatriot Toro y Moi just released a folk album of all things. Regardless of whether he’s commanding the dancefloor or pouring his heart out in a smoky lounge, Palomo’s World of Hassle is definitely worth visiting.

Rating: 7.5/10